Boogiepop Never Laughs (ep 4): Is it time for a binge watch?

Hey guys! I noticed that episode 4 of Boogiepop had come out a few days ago and I finally got around to blogging about it. Now, normally I do a bullet point impression of the whole episode so you guys know exactly what I was thinking while watching the episode but this time around I was having trouble. Compared to the first three episodes I didn’t really react much to what I saw. So then I thought I’d just “get to the point” (am I even capable of something like this?!). Like always, spoilers (and mind vomit) incoming!!

In this episode, we seem to start a new “case” but also continue a sort of “plot” from the Manticore arc. In episode 3 we end with a slight cliffhanger where a girl jumps from the roof and says something ominous.

The end of the beginning is also the beginning of the end, Boogiepop

In episode 4 we go a few minutes before this line where Boogiepop is talking to a girl on the roof. We come to learn that this girl is also a supernatural being, possibly similar to Boogiepop in that they are an extra soul in a normal body (Boogiepop mentions the girl hasn’t “split” yet, what does that mean?). This is also where Boogiepop names the girl “Imaginator”, which is what Nagi’s father calls beings “like her” (what is she? IDK but it sounds like someone who imagines stuff, fitting considering her power?). Soon after we learn about Imaginator’s powers, which she simplifies as having the ability to see someone’s death

I can see the energy that living creatures generate right before they burn themselves out

Although based on her words I have to wonder if maybe death is more than just when you die. I mean, when you get burned out, that doesn’t have to mean death, right? As bloggers, we get burned out every so often but we don’t technically die

Or she could mean literal death

Imaginator also implies that she was the one causing the trouble on campus, which I thought was interesting. I thought that Manticore had been working independently but now we hear that Imaginator was pulling the strings. How? Did she somehow influence Manticore? Is the whole institute thing even real? Maybe it’s something that Manticore planted into her mind? Actually, I’m going to stop with Manticore, thinking about her and Echoes always give me a headache, lol. But I am curious how Imaginator is linked

the new story

After this encounter, we’re thrown into the normal everyday lives of people. Or more specifically, the life of Asukai-sensei who is a counselor with the ability to see people’s hearts in the form of roses. He tells us he’s had this ability since he was a child and while he could see what people were missing, he felt he couldn’t truly help people (even though it seemed like his words actually helped the girls he spoke with). Also, was I the only person getting weird pervert vibes from him before he revealed he could see people’s hearts? I was like oh god the girl’s chests are buds now! EHERM

I think out of all the mundane-seeming characters, I actually like Asukai-sensei. 90% might be because I think he’s cute and I like his voice BUT he’s also one of the more active male characters in the series. We also get some background on him so he doesn’t just feel like a random extra

Moving on, Imaginator reveals herself to Asukai-sensei one night when he’s walking home. He sees her jump off the roof and he tries to save her only to trip (typical). It’s this moment when she also reveals her ability and in the following days, she keeps possessing the women that Asukai interacts with. During one of those moments, she begins to coerce Asukai, saying he needs a calling, that he could be doing more to help the people that are missing something, and then she shows him a future where he’s…well, I’m not sure what he’s doing. Stealing roses via penetrative means? Wow, that sounds really bad. Uhm, he’s “killing” people (is he?)

Soon after this Asukai does a 180 personality switch. It seems he has found his calling and at the end of the episode he is experimenting with his abilities (what are they? what is he doing to people? how does this help them?). At this point, I’m a little skeptical about my feelings for him. I still think he’s cute but now I’m like DUDE, what. I don’t mind liking bad guys but I don’t really know Asukai’s intentions anymore or if he’s even himself

I don’t know about you guys but characters that speak in riddles confuse me so right now I’m wondering what Imaginator’s goals are. Why is she stirring up trouble? I don’t think it’s a coincidence she is revealing herself to people with extraordinary abilities. Also, how will Boogiepop be taking care of Imaginator. This girl is like an apparition! In terms of how the story is told, it was way less suspenseful and I did feel a little bleh. It felt like it flowed in a very linear fashion, which is starting to bother me. I guess it just makes me wonder why the first two episodes were fashioned like random puzzle pieces we had to put together when we could have easily just gotten the puzzle in a discernable manner (like this episode)

Community

Since it took me longer to get this post out, I do have more posts to share, hehe

Anime Winter 2019 First Episode Impressions: Ninja Boi recommends Boogiepop as a binge-watch show and I couldn’t agree more. I think I’m also going to come back to it once it’s done airing (I mean, I already rewatched each episode at least twice, what’s one more time? lol)

Boogiepop EP 4: Nat talks about the voice acting in the fourth episode (see, I wasn’t crazy when I said sensei sounded nice)

Boogiepop Doesn’t Laugh Episode #04: HUH. This is an interesting one. Benigmatica retells the fourth episode in a way I hadn’t read it (now I feel like I should rewatch the episode again, fourth times the charm??)

WELP that concludes this post! Let me know what you think about Boogiepop so far. It looks like the impressions are split in the middle. Half the people sound like they’re not very impressed while others are starting to get into the story. As for me, I think I’m somewhere in the middle. I’m really curious to just get reveals with me not wondering about every little thing but also I agree that the flaws we saw in the first arc are still there in this new episode. I hear there’s a lot of material to cover and just hope Boogiepop doesn’t blow up in our faces, lol!

I also think I’m going to have to rewatch the few episodes we have because I’m starting to forget little details that I feel are coming back to haunt me. I mean, apparently, Imaginator is one of the girls that disappeared during the Manticore arc. I was speechless when I read this, good notetaking fellow bloggers!

Enjoy my content? Want to support me? Feel free to follow me on social media (FB, Twitter), like this post, share it, and/or leave some comments so I know I’m not just screaming into the void! You can also support me by buying me a coffee ^^

Like this:

Related

Author: crimson613

Crimson is an aniblogger on wordpress who can't seem to stop fangirling about all the lovely bishies. When not writing content for the blog (and consuming media), Crimson can be found in bed with a hot cup of tea by their side, sobbing over fanfiction (or maybe even writing it)
View all posts by crimson613